Ski harness



10, 1954 F. WHITAKER 2,686,059

SKI HARNESS Filed Oct. 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HVVENTUR. Franc/sWh/Yaker BY WQ Affomeys 1954 F. WHITAKER I 2,686,059

SKI HARNESS Filed Oct. 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 7 I INVN TOR.Franc/s Wh/M/rer Affomeys Patented Aug. 10, 1954 OFFICE SKI HARNESSFrancis Whitaker, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif.

Application October 3, 1950, Serial No. 188,137

This invention relates to a new and improved ski-harness for securing askiers boot to a ski.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a ski-harnessassembly of novel construction incorporating a number of new andimproved safety features. For example, the present ski-harnessconstruction incorporates novel means to permit rotation of a skiersboot relative to a ski when unusual or abnormal torsional stress ortwisting is transmitted to the mechanism, such as may occur when a skieraccidentally falls and rolls over in such manner that his legs twistrelative to his skis. Such an arrangement obviously minimizes the dangerof a skier suffering leg injuries such as frequently occur when a skierfalls and his legs cannot twist relative to his skis. The presentconstruction also incorporates a novel ankle strap construction which isadapted toautomatically release a skiers boot from the harness when askiers leg is subjected to abnormal pull in a direction away from theski as may occur when a skier falls forwardly on his skis, for example.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ski-harnessincorporating a novel touring plate construction which allows foralternate elevation and depression of a skiers heel with respect to theski to permit a skier to walk or tour in a natural walking manner.Locking means associated with said touring plate are provided to permita skier to secure, when desired, said touring plate to the top of theski and prevent raising and lowering of the skiers heel. Ordinarily, indownhill skiing and jumping, or the like, it is considered desirable tohave the plate secured firmly to the skis.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingsin which similar characters of reference represent corresponding partsin each of the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the present ski-harness with thetouring plate in locked position.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of i g. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of a preferredankle strap construction.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of same.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the ski-v 10 Claims. (Cl.280-11.35)

harness showing the touring plate in elevated position.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the ski-harness showing the mode ofoperation of the heel and toe pivot mechanisms.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is indicated afragment of a conventional ski H upon which the present harness ismounted. A toe pivot, comprising a raised plate [2 provided with anupwardly projecting pivot pin 53 having an eyelet M, is secured to thetop of the ski. Bifurcated toe engaging element 26 having a. hook-likeportion I5 engageable loosely in eyelet I4 is adapted to swing pivotallyabout the axis of pin l3, and by virtue of its loose engagement witheyelet I4 is also movable upwardly and downwardly. Projecting ends El ofbifurcated member it are proportioned for insertion into suitable slotsor notches l8 formed in the toe portion of a skiers boot. The toe pivotconstruction per se, hereina-bove described, is considered conventional,and a generally similar mechanism is disclosed in U. S. Patent No.2,236,874, dated April 1, 1941, I-Ijalmar I-Ivam, patentee.

The present ski-harness also incorporates a tensioning cable assemblywhich may be of more or less conventional construction. In the drawingsthe cable assembly is illustrated as comprising a wire cable [9 providedwith an enlarged heel engaging portion 2| formed in the nature of a coilspring, and a suitable toggle-actuated tensioning and tensioning-releasemechanism 22. The purpose of the tensioning cable is to provide meansfor urging a skiers boot forwardly into sbecur: contact with ends I I ofthe toe pivot memer I The touring plate assembly, mentioned brieflyheretofore, comprises more specifically a heel plate 23 formed in thenature of an upwardly facing channel piece defining a web portion 24 anda pair of upwardly extending side members 25 and 26, respectively. Plate23 is attached pivotally by pin 21 to cross-bar 28, which said latternamed element, in turn, is mounted securely on. the rearwardly extendingends of arms 22 and 3| which are each hinged as at 32 and 33 to oppositeside edges of the ski.

Cross-bar 28 is formed with a rearwardly projecting flange portion 34cooperable with locking mechanism 36 to permit locking and unlocking ofthe touring plate assembly with respect to the ski. More specifically,locking mechanism 35 is shown as comprising an anchor plate 3? securedto the ski, on which is mounted slidably a locking plate 33 formed witha longitudinal slot 39 through which projects a suitable bolt and locknut 58. When plate 38 is moved slidably forwardly to overlap flange 34,the touring plate assembly will be secured firmly to the top of the ski;and conversely, when said locking plate is moved rearwardly, the touringplate assembly comprising arms 29 and 3!, cross-bar 28, and heel plate23 are free to move upwardly and downwardly about hinges 32 and 33.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, it is seen how anklestrap 42 is provided with a rectangular loop 43 (formed of relativelyheavy spring material) terminating in a substantially circular splitring 44 adapted for snapon engagement with associated pin 46 provided onside 25 of the heel plate. Obviously, the other end of heel strap e2 mayalso be connected releasably by similar fastening means to side 25 ofthe heel plate. The construction of the splitring and pin assembly issuch that only ordinary pull exerted on ankle strap 42 during normalskiing movement will not be sufilcient to cause releasable disengagementof the snap-on splitring from the pin. On the other hand, these elementsare fashioned to releasably disengage from one another upon the anklestrap being subjected to what may be termed abnormal or unusual pull,such as may occur when a skier falls in a manner whereby his legs tendto pull strongly in a direction away from the skis.

The heel and toe pivot mechanism, heretofore described in detail,cooperate to allow a skiers boot to rotate within the harness when unduetorsional stress or twisting of a skiers leg occurs. For example, Fig. 8illustrates how the heel of the boot can pivot with heel plate 24,thereby causing the toe end of the boot to swing laterally outwardlyfrom engagement with toe engaging element [6. Fig. 8 shows theski-harness with the tensioning cable and ankle strap removed, but it isbelieved readily understandable that as soon as the toe of a skiers boothas swung outwardly clear of the toe pivot, tension on the cable will bereleased by virtue of the fact that the skiers boot is free to moveforwardly (at least as far as the ankle strap will permit limitedforward movement of the boot within the barness). As heretoforeexplained, if the forward pull on the boot is unusually great, the anklestrap will disengage from the heel plate, and the skiers boot willbecome entirely free of the harness.

From the foregoing explanation, it is seen how the various elementscomprising the present skiharness cooperate with one another to providesafety means for both releasing entirely a skiers boot from the harnessand/or for allowing a skiers boot to turn within the harness relative tothe ski, depending on the degree and type of abnormal torsion or pulltransmitted to the mechanism.

As has been heretofore indicated, the hinged touring plate permitsemployment of an ankle strap, and at the same time provides a means bywhich a skier may raise and lower his heel with respect to the ski in anatural walking manner. In climbing up hill or in skiing down hill orjumping, it is usually considered desirable to lock the touring plate bymeans of fastening elements 34 and 38 whereby elevation of the touringplate is prevented.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by wayof illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be made withinthe spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ski harness comprising; a toe pivot mounted on a ski comprising atoe engaging element swingable laterally to either side of said ski, aheel plate mounted pivotally about an axis disposed normal to the topsurface of said ski spaced rearwardly of said toe pivot for supportingpivotally a heel of a skiers boot, an ankle strap provided on said heelplate, a tensioning cable adapted to urge a skiers boot forwardly intoengagement with said toe pivot, and a safety release mechanismincorporated in said ankle strap, said safety release means comprising asplit-spring normally detachably embracing and retaining a complementaryfastening element comprising a pin, the spring tension of said springretaining member being such as to disengage from said ankle strap uponabnormal pull being exerted on said ankle strap in a direction away fromsaid ski.

2. A ski harness for supporting a skiers boot on a ski comprising; a toerelease mechanism mounted on a ski adapted to releasably engage the toeportion of a skiers boot, a heel plate mounted pivotally about an axisdisposed normal to the top surface of said ski for supporting pivotallya heel of a skiers boot, the forward edge of said heel plate beingspaced rearwardly of said toe release mechanism a distance approximatelyequal to the distance between the forward edge of the heel and the toeof the boot which the harness is adapted to support, an ankle strapprovided on said heel plate, and means adapted to urge said skiers bootforwardly into engagement with said toe release mechanism.

3. A ski harness according to claim 2 and wherein said last named meanscomprises a tensioning cable engageable about the heel of a skiers bootto urge said-boot forwardly into engagement said toe release mechanism.

l. A ski harness according to claim 2 and wherein said toe releasemechanism comprises a toe pivot including a toe engaging elementswingable laterally to either side of said ski adapted to releasablyengage the toe of a skiers boot.

5. A ski harness comprising; a toe release mechanism mounted on a skiadapted to releasably engage the toe portion of a skiers boot, a heelplate mounted pivotally about an axis disposed normal to the top surfaceof said ski spaced rearwardly of said toe release mechanism forsupporting pivotally a heel of a skiers boot, an ankle strap provided onsaid heel plate, means adapted to urge a skiers boot forwardly intoengagement with said toe pivot, and safety release means incorporated insaid ankle strap, said safety release means comprising a splitspringnormally detachably embracing and retaining a complementary fasteningelement comprising a pin, the spring tension of said spring retainingmember being such as to disengage from said ankle strap upon abnormalpull being exerted on said ankle strap in a direction away from saidski.

G. A ski harness for supporting a skiers boot on a ski comprising: a toerelease mechanism mounted on a ski adapted to releasably engage the toeportion of the skiers boot; a touring plate including a heel portion,and a forwardly projecting member hinged to said ski between the heeland toe extremities of the ski harness; the

heel supporting member of said touring plate swingable upwardly anddownwardly about the axis of said hinge relative to the top surface ofsaid ski; a heel plate for supporting the heel of said boot mountedpivotally on said heel portion of said touringplate about an axisdisposed normalto the top surfaceof said ski; the forward edge of saidheel plate spaced rearwardly of said toe release mechanism a. distanceapproximately equal to the distance between the forward edge of the heeland toe of the boot which the harness is adapted to support; an anklestrap provided on said heel plate; and mean for urging said bootforwardly into engagement with said toe mechanism.

7. A ski harness according to claim 2 and wherein upwardly extendingflange means are provided on opposite sides of said heel plate forengaging opposite sides of the heel portion of a skiers boot to preventlateral movement of said boot relative to said plate.

8. A ski harness according to claim 6 and wherein releasable lockingmeans are provided for detachably securing the heel portion of saidtouring plate in adjacent overlying position with respect to the top ofsaid ski.

9. A ski harness according to claim 6 and wherein a safety releasemechanism is incorporated in said ankle strap operable to disengage saidankle strap from the ski boot normally secured by said strap uponabnormal pull being exerted on said strap in a direction away from saidski.

10. A ski harness for supporting a skiers boot on a ski comprising: atoe release mechanism mounted on a ski adapted to releasably engage thetoe portionof a skiers boot; a touring plate including a heel portion,and a forwardly projecting member hinged to said ski between the heeland toe extremities of the ski harness; the heel portion of said touringplate swingable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the top 6surface of said ski about the axis of said hinge; a heel plate forsupporting the heel of a said boot mounted pivotally on the heel portionof said touring plate about a pivotal axis disposed normal to the topsurface of said ski; the forward edge of said heel plate being spacedrearwardly of said toe release mechanism a distance approximately equalto the distance between the forward edge of the heel and the toe of theboot which the harness is adapted to support; upwardly extending flangemeans provided on opposite sides of said heel plate for engagingopposite sides of a ski boot and preventing lateral movement of saidboot with respect to said heel plate; an ankle strap provided on saidheel plate; safety release means incorporated in said ankle strapoperable to disengage from a boot normally secured by said ankle strapwithin the harness upon abnormal pull being exerted on said ankle strapin a direction away from said ski; means for urging the skiers bootforwardly into engagement with said toe release mechanismfand means fordetachably securing the heel portion of said touring plate in adjacentoverlying position with respect to the top of said ski.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 456,636 Perry July 28, 1871 2,236,874 Hvam Apr. 1, 19412,468,879 Hvam May 3, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,221Norway Oct. 2'7, 1902 28,409 Norway Nov. 12, 1917 252,152 SwitzerlandSept. 16, 1948 255,445 Switzerland Jan. 17, 1949 255,998 SwitzerlandFeb. 16, 1949 255,999 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1949 596,836 Great BritainJan. 12, 1 4

